Retractor systems may be used in a variety of different surgical procedures to provide an opening through which a doctor may access the surgical site. In spinal surgeries, for example, a retractor system may be used to provide the surgeon with access to the patient's spine. The opening created by the retractor system may, for example, enable the doctor to insert surgical instruments into the body or enable visualization of the surgical site using visible light or X-rays.
A retractor system may include a plurality of blades coupled to a retractor frame. In use, the blades may be inserted into an incision and then retracted to displace tissue surrounding the incision along a path to the surgical site. To minimize trauma to the tissue, this tissue displacement should generally be refined and controlled.